1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic module that comprises a module body and a frame fitted on the periphery of the module body, a solar-power generating apparatus comprising photovoltaic modules arranged on the roof of a building, a support member for supporting photovoltaic modules, and a method of installing a solar-power generating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solar-power generating apparatuses are installed on the roofs of buildings. A solar-power generating apparatus comprise photovoltaic modules laid on a rail-like support member that is secured on the roof of a building.
Japanese UM Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-3023 discloses the technique of installing a solar-power generating apparatus, without laying photovoltaic modules on support members that are laid on the ground.
These support members comprise an upper support and a lower support. The upper support has a groove that opens downwards and slantwise. The lower support lies below the upper support and has a groove that opens upwards and slantwise. Photovoltaic modules, each having no frame part attached to the periphery, are secured to the upper and lower supports, partly fitted in and extending between both supports.
The photovoltaic modules are secured in the following method. First, each photovoltaic module is moved up from below and slantwise, until its upper edge is inserted into the grooves of the upper support. Then, the photovoltaic module is rotated, in its entirety, around the center of the upper support, approaching and opposing the groove of the lower support. Next, the whole photovoltaic module is moved downward and slantwise, with its upper edge kept inserted in the groove of the upper support. The whole lower edge of the module is thereby inserted into the groove of the lower support. Thus, the photovoltaic module is secured to both the upper support and the lower support.
In the prior-art method, the photovoltaic module is moved upward and slantwise to have its upper edge inserted into the groove of the upper support. Hence, the upper edge of the photovoltaic module is likely to slide in acute friction. Since the upper edge of the module is relatively thick, it may abut on the rim of the groove of the upper support as it is inserted into the groove. For the same reason, the module can be inclined but at a small angle, to have its upper edge inserted into the groove of the upper support. Consequently, it is hard to achieve the insertion. The photovoltaic module cannot be secured to the support member with high efficiency by the method described above.
The present invention has been made to provide a photovoltaic module that can easily be secured to an upper support and a lower support that lies slantwise below the upper support, a solar-power generating apparatus that comprises such modules, a support member for supporting such modules, and a method of installing a solar-power generating apparatus on the roof of a building.
A photovoltaic module according to this invention comprises a rectangular module body and a frame secured to the sides of the module body. The frame is composed of an upper bar, a lower bar and a pair of side bars. The upper bar has an insertion projection protruding from a part of the upper bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the upper bar.
In the photovoltaic module according to the invention, the upper bar of the frame will not slide in acute friction in the down-open groove of an upper support member, even if it abuts on the bottom of the down-open groove of the upper support member. Further, the upper bar can be inserted into the down-open groove of the upper support member, at a large insertion angle. This makes it easy to insert the upper bar into the down-open groove. The photovoltaic module according to the invention can therefore be laid easily between the upper support member and the lower support member arranged below the upper support member.
A solar-power generating apparatus according to this invention comprises an upper support member, a lower support member, and photovoltaic modules. The upper and lower bars are secured on the roof of a building and spaced apart in the direction the roof slopes. The photovoltaic modules are laid between the upper and lower support members. Each module comprises a rectangular module body and a frame secured to the sides of the module body. The frame is composed of an upper bar, a lower bar and a pair of side bars. The upper bar has an insertion projection protruding from a part of the upper bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the upper bar.
In the solar-power generating apparatus according to this invention, the upper bar of the frame of each photovoltaic module will not slide in acute friction in the down-open groove of an upper support member, even if it abuts on the bottom of the down-open groove of the upper support member. Moreover, the upper bar can be inserted into the down-open groove at a large angle. This facilitates the insertion of the upper bar into the down-open groove. Thus, the photovoltaic modules can be easily laid between the super support member and the lower support member, both secured on the roof, in the solar-power generating apparatus according to the present invention.
A support member according to this invention has a down-open groove opening downwards and slantwise and an up-open groove opening upwards and slantwise, which are positioned in back-to-back relation.
The support member of this invention can support a photovoltaic module, holding the upper bar of the module in the down-open groove or holding the lower bar of the module in the up-open groove. The support member can be effectively used to lay photovoltaic modules on the roof.
A method of installing a solar-power generating apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: securing an upper support member and a lower support member on the roof of a building; inserting the insertion projection protruding from the upper bar of a photovoltaic module, from below and slantwise, into the down-open groove of the upper support member; rotating the photovoltaic module around the upper bar, thereby moving the lower bar of the module toward the lower support member and causing the lower bar to oppose the up-open groove of the lower support member; moving the photovoltaic module downwards and slantwise, thereby inserting the lower bar into the up-open groove; and securing holding members to the upper support member and lower support member, thereby holding the upper bar and the lower bar from above, respectively.
With the method of method of installing a solar-power generating apparatus, according to this invention, it is easy to lay photovoltaic modules between the upper and lower support members secured on the roof.
A solar-power generating apparatus according to the invention comprises a plurality of support bases and a plurality of support members laid on the support bases and crossing them, each having connection holes. Each support base has an upper wall, an opening made in the upper wall, and a groove provided inside the opening and being broader, at the bottom, than the opening. The apparatus has bolt-holding bodies, each having at least one screw hole, shaped not to rotate in the groove, and provided movably in the grooves to pass under the support members. Bolts are driven into the screw holes through the connection holes, thus coupling the support members to the support bases.
In the solar-power generating apparatus, the bolts can be driven from above and tightened to couple the support members to the support bases. Further, the bolt-holding bodies can be moved beneath the support members to the positions where the support members are coupled to the support bases. This enhances the efficiency of coupling the support members to the support bases.